Sripali Vaiamon 

But it also tried to establish SINHALESE were descendants of a lion and a woman.

How far we can believe that !Let that be there but let us address everyone living in Sri Lanka as SRILANKAN, besides their ethnic names. This could be implemented after the election of the new PRESIIDENT on the 16^th of Nov.2019

. In CANADA where I live as a resident a similar Social issue is being implemented besides the ethnic names of all citizens.  

Compiler of our great historical composition,MAHAVANSA, at the end of every chapter where there are 37 Chapters,  has appended the above  golden apology,for the simple reason,as I believe,there were no etymological dictionary or any other approvable sources to gather facts and evidence for him to follow confidentially to do the compilation 100 % accurately, as it is a HISTORY book. Rev. Mahanama of the Deegasanda Senapthi Pirivena at Anuradhapura who conglomerated this massive historical piece of literature had doubts whether all facts and data gathered by him from available sources are 100% accurate IN THAT REMOTE ERA.5^TH CENTURY BC.. When we analyze the APOLOGY we could accept it and .realized when he planned a vast historical literary piece but confronted with the obstacles to gather the scrupulous material perfectly, meticulously and 100% correctly although the complete manifestation was absent  in his matured brain !Very often it has become a guess work.

But he was adamant his meticulous dream must make a reality.

So he decided to INSERT this golden apology..

 Late Canadian Prime Minister Hon.Mr.PIERRE ELLIOT TRUDEAU, FATHER OF THE PRESENT Prime Minister, on the 8^th of October  1971 presented to the House this SOCIOLOGICAL POLICY. It was accepted . Which gives all the citizens the authority to use this general term,CANADIAN.for everyone of them, irrespective of their ethnicities. So after the election of the new President in SRI LANKA could allow the people to use this general term.SRILANKAN.

Incidentally late Prime Minister PIERRE TRUDEAU VISITED Sri Lanka on the 6^th of Dec.1971.

Mr.Justin Trudeau, Pierre’s eldest son, had the Federal Election in Canada on the 21^st of October this year and regained the Premiership. He gained only 157 seats with which he could formed only a minority Government. He announced, on the 20^th of November  that he will form a gender equal CABINET.

 CBC  gave a full support for the election by conducting debates in English and French and  fully analyzing the situation of the voters and the country.Which was helpful to hold a fair and riot-free election.

Globe and Mail,a popular paper in Canada published on the 27^th of October an interesting article with enlarged pictures and this bit of summary which I like to extract with curtsey for your perusal.

Ontario too continue legal challenge of federal Carbon tax despite election ,YUREK says

CMHC forcasts a recovery in Canada’s housing market after two years of declines

Liberal Govt. Says Trans Mountain Pipe Line could found $ 500 Milliion a year in clean energy projects.

 Now  let`s come back to 

this piece of literature,Mahavansa, which  has been compiled for the serene joy and emotion of the pious” and  not mainly to establish truth or evidence as such. Because there are some events look historical but not authentic as there is no evidence or facts. For devotees with piety those may sound as real. Particularly when a Buddhist monk has done the composition of a story they have more faith. They grasp as real story. They will never reject but on the contrary praise all situations are genuine and wholeheartedly believe. If an elderly person says the idea of lion having coitus with a woman they open their mouths and believe it as an adventurous truth. If the woman bears children as a result they never disbelieve. This is exactly what had happened in Suppadevi and lion’s story in which the origination of the Sinhala race etched. But according to science reproduction of normal human children by animal sperm and human egg or vice -versa is beyond reality. However let us touch a bit of the story as elaborated in Mahavansa. The compiler Rev. Mahanama of the Deegasanda Senapathi Pirivana built up the Vijaya story with the help of a few Jathaka stories, such as Nalapana, Walahassa, Janaka, Padakusala Manawa and Devadhamma. King of Vanga got married to a queen of Kalinga where they had a beautiful daughter, Suppadevi. Royal soothsayers prophesised she will one day elope with a lion and live in the jungle. Royal parents thoroughly guarded right round the palace to prevent this adverse mishap. But somehow or other she escaped and joint a caravan that was heading towards Laata Desha in the Indus valley region at the western end of India.  When they reached Laata Desh or present Gujarath (Birth place of Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi) where there was a small town called Sinhapur or Sihor. The name has been earned as it was the only area in India Asiatic lions were living in the adjacent hilly forest. When the caravan reached that region a lion has pounced upon and those who were in the caravan have run amok accept Suppadevi. Mahavansa described the lion wagged its tail and came over to her perhaps like a tamed animal. She who was aware with the soothsayers’ prediction stroked its lovely fur and got friendly. Lion makes her to get on to her back and she did and then slowly walked into a jungle cave. They live there and begot a boy and a girl, who were named as Sinhabahu and Sinhaseevali. They were living in that cave minus ventilation or light and it has a stone door only lion could open. They were inside the cave whole day until the boy reached 16. -Just imagine the situation! When the boy asked mother why they are living in a dungeon like this she had recollected the whole story and said that they are royal people. He wanted to leave the cave and escape. So he did. When they arrived at the Royal Palace narrated the story and king was fully convinced and allowed them to stay. When the lion found they are missing came to the town and ravaged the whole area. King agreed to offer a 1000 gold to whoever kill the animal. Vijaya agreed and with one arrow he killed the grandpa. Now without lengthening the story lets go to the end. When the old king died Sinhabahu became the king.  Sinhabahu  and Sinhaseevali lived as wife and husband. They had so many children and the eldest was Vijaya who was a boisterous character. He had so many followers, around 700 who were violent in disposition and involved in various nefarious activities. Kings’ subjects complained many a time. Ultimately they were banished by shaven half side of their heads in a ship. Their ship landed near present day Puttalam in Sri Lanka. They named it Thambapanni. When they landed Vijaya knelt down and pressed his both hands on sandy beach. It was on the day that Buddha was demised. According to Mahavansa year was 543 BC. They had met a woman of Yakka tribe, Kuveni, who reveals that there is a kingdom called Sirisawastu and a king name Mahakalasena. However, According to Mahavansa origination of Sinhalese started from Vijaya. That means the history of Sinhalese according to Mahavansa is from the descendents of a human and an animal, the lion.

So Vijaya was our progenitor.

The late Dr.Ananda W.P.Guruge and historian John M. Senaviratna referring to the union of Suppadevi and lion deliberated in their expressions that it was an outlaw or robber chief ,named Sinha (lion) who with his men fell upon the caravan to plunder. It was quite possible as there were plunderers in the lonely roads in by gone era. In that case why so strongly they had etched the term Sinhala for their descendants and depicted with a lion in the national flag?

Our President along with the Prime Minister pledged to develop the country with National and Religious reconcillation. We have to help in every possible way.

  Even if we believe what Dr.Guruge depicted is it justifiable to name the race as Sinhala? Historically it is from the Mahavansa depiction the Sinhala race was originated. Even the list of kings started with Vijaya and not with Mahakalasena, although it was discussed between Kuveni and Vijaya.Professor Ellawala who involved in research of Mahavansa categorically said that the early part of Mahavansa is far beyond reality. In that case how to justify the ongoing story! A scholar like  Prof.J.B.Dissanayake could furnish an acceptable answer or at least an ecstatic

 Prior to this picture of history in the Mahavansa the terms Sinhala and Lanka were exist in early literature. Archaeologist, Siran Deraniyagala revealed through his excavation that there was a fairly a large civilization at Anuradhapura 3 to 400 years prior to the advent of Vijaya. Before  that there were four major tribes called Deva, Naga, Yakka and Raksa in the country who were speaking a dialect called Illu or Hela. Professor J.B.Dissanayake and erudite scholar Arisen Ahubudu named the combination of the four with Hela as Sivu hela, which became Sihala. (P.196-PRE-HISTORIC LANKA TO END OF TERRORISM.By Dr.Sripali Vaiamon.Published in Canada.in 1912) Much prior to that, terms Sinhala and Lanka appeared in Mahabaratha very prominently. In the bk .1 Ch.177.bk.2 chs.33 and 51 and bk.7 ch.20. In the bk.2 there is a description where a Sinhala deputation from Lanka has gone to the consecration ceremony of the king Udistara with gifts such as pearls, conches, sea beryls, elephant tusks etc.. It has further described what the Chieftain had dressed for the occasion.( 2-27-48 Mahabaratha) Compilation of the Epic according to Internet has started in 900 BC. Monier Monier Williams who compiled the first Sanskrit English Dictionary believed it as 1200 BC. Epics are concerned Mahabaratha is the second in antiquity in the world where as Epic of Gilgamesh supposed to be the first. Other than this, term Sinhala occurred in several ancient Sanskrit texts such as, Bhagawatha, Markandya Purana, Brahath Sanghitha and Jaina canonical works. Archaeologists revealed there were people in our country from very early period. The very first human bone has discovered in 123,000 in Pathirajawela,down South, Second has found in 80,000. During that era there were lions in Sri Lanka. Fossil remain found in Sabaragomuwa region has proved this. In this context Could it be possible to have had a story connected to the geneology of our existence? Full  skeleton of a woman had been unearthed from an excavation pit at Phahiangala, BulathSinhala, in Kalutara District which  was determined as 37,000 years. One at Batadombalena, Kuruvita 28,000 years. As such the origination of Sinhala language and the race yet to be traced with meticulous excavations and also with possible scrutinization of old Sanskrit literature available at several university archaic libraries in India as the term Sinhala is Sanskrit..Dr. Senarath Paranavithana in the foot note of Seegri Gee described that the term Hela is presence in Kurutu Gee and the term Sinhala is Sanskrit,in Pali it is Seehala and in Prakrit, Sainhala.

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    The significant embalm of SRI PADA was the devotional idea borrowed from Afganisthan which was earlier known as Bacteria where there was Buddhism prior to Sri Lanka. They who built the first Buddhist statue at Gandhara and carved massive Buddha statues at Bamian range. They who carved Sri Pada with innumerable symbols. The idea of foot prints of Buddha was first borrowed from Afganistan perhaps by Sanchi thereafter Sri Lanka and carved on the peak of Samonala. Subsequently in several other countries borrowed this concept. The researcher, Dr.Waldermer Sailor attempted past 25 years to study in depth the meaning of the symbols but was not successful. He who had revealed the idea was borrowed by several countries including Sri Lanka. Buddha never came over here to implant it. Others who copied did not bother to adopt the same pattern but was implied to have a foot print to symbolize that of their great preceptor, the Lord Buddha. The length of the foot on Samanola is 5 feet seven inches and the breadth is 2 feet seven inches. Dr.Senarath Paranavithana says prior to 11^th century there was no     foot print on Samanola or anywhere close by. That suggests it may have been constructed just after the 11^th century. Buddhism had been disappeared from Afganistan by 11^th century. So far no records have been discovered to trace who was responsible for the carving and in what period.

With regard to the descriptions of Lord Buddha’s three visits  no records available anywhere. Great Buddhist leaders like, Sir Baron Jayathilaka, Dr.G.P.Mallasekara denied  any record relevant to this in the Tri Pitaka.  None of those who took part in the Three Sangayanas were  aware Buddha’s trips to Lanka. Perhaps certain descriptions in Mahavansa may be exaggerations and not real. The compiler borrowed the idea from the early epic, Deepavansa.  But of course with the elaborations in the Epic Mahavansa where the compiler had imposed in great piety to say Buddha physically came over and implanted his left foot print cannot be accepted as it is not available in the Tri Pitaka. This could be easily checked as the  Tri Pitaka is now available with us..Although there are other interpretations to say the print is that of Adam, Shiva or St.Thomas. It is immaterial to Buddhists they are glued to believe that was their religious leader, Gauthama the Buddha as depicted at the end of every chapter in Mahavansa .  

Present Prime Minister’s Dad Hon.Pierre Trudeau in 1971 introduced MULTI CULTURALISM TO CANADA,THERE AFTER ALL THE CITIZENS IN CANADA BECAME CANADIANS. Let us make all the Sinhalese,Tamils,Muslims,Burgers,javas and Vaddas living in Sri Lanka generally as SRI LANKANS besides their ethnic names.

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